University of Mobile and NOBTS Announce Accelerated BA+MDiv Program By Kathy Dean
A new partnership between the University of Mobile and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary allows students to save time and money by earning both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity in just five years. The Accelerated B.A.+M.Div. program reduces by two years the time it takes for a student to earn both a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mobile and an M.Div. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. “This agreement will greatly benefit both institutions. We are pleased to partner with our colleagues in New Orleans and hope this is just the start of many such opportunities,” said Dr. Lonnie Burnett, University of Mobile president. Dr. James Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, said, “This is an exciting time in our history to partner with the University of Mobile to train students for the mission of Christ. This partnership will enable students to maximize their time and get to the field more quickly.” The agreement allows selected undergraduate courses taken at UM to apply toward the master’s program at NOBTS. UM students also may qualify for advanced placement in biblical language courses.
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In addition, up to 29 hours of graduate-level courses taken in the University of Mobile School of Christian Studies Master of Arts program may transfer to any NOBTS M.Div. NOBTS offers a M.Div. with specializations in 24 areas, including pastoral ministry, missions and urban missions, church planting, evangelistic church growth and more. Dr. Doug Wilson, dean of the University of Mobile School of Christian Studies, said the partnership will allow students to build on their UM ministry training and pursue their M.Div. from NOBTS in an accelerated format. “We’re grateful for this academic partnership. Through the years, many of our Christian Studies alumni have gone on to pursue M.Div. and doctoral work at NOBTS. By formalizing this partnership, one of our key Southern Baptist seminaries is affirming the value of our theological and ministry training at the University of Mobile,” Wilson said. The program starts fall semester of 2020. For more information, contact Dr. Doug Wilson, dean of the School of Christian Studies at the University of Mobile, at dwilson@umobile.edu or call UM Enrollment Services at 251.442.2222.
